Lose yourself in these incredible artist studios

These windows into the creative mind have been preserved and reimagined for the public

Kerry James Marshall, Untitled (Painter), 2008. Collection of Charlotte and Herbert S. Wagner III Photo Courtesy of Sotheby’s, Inc. © 2021

Consider the studio from all angles

Rather than preserving one artist’s studio, this ambitious exhibition brings together paintings, sculptures, films and installations documenting more than 80 creative spaces from across the world, as well as several ‘studio corners’ that replicate the environments within the gallery. Following two central themes – the ‘private’ and ‘public’ space – expect to see the imprint of exceptional minds such as Louise Bourgeois, Kerry James Marshall, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Pablo Picasso and Egon Schiele, as well as the community-focused works of studio programmes such as Black Rock Senegal, founded by Kehinde Wiley, and Yinka Shonibare’s Guest Artists Space Foundation in Nigeria.

A Century of the Artist’s Studio: 1920–2020, Whitechapel Gallery, London, 24 February–5 June

whitechapelgallery.org

Experience Francis Bacon’s studio just as he left it

Following his death in 1992, Francis Bacon’s London studio was preserved and moved in its entirety from 7 Reece Mews, South Kensington to the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, the city where the artist was born. It took a team of conservators and archaeologists to catalogue and move more than 7,000 objects, including paintbrushes, canvases, the walls, door and even the dust. As well as offering an incredible chance to see the exact conditions in which Bacon worked, it has proved an invaluable resource for researchers, curators and more. 

Francis Bacon’s studio at Hugh Lane

hughlane.ie

Courtesy of Watts Studio and Gallery, Compton

Wonder at GF Watts’ studio on-site or at home

Forming part of the Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, which features historic and contemporary galleries, gardens and a glorious chapel, this studio is found within the fully restored wing of Limnerslease, the home of symbolist artists GF and Mary Watts. Rather than fashioning his studio like a showroom, as was customary among his peers, Watts devoted his cathedral-like space to optimal working conditions. It is now filled with letters, unfinished canvases and easels, which can be enjoyed in person or as part of a 360-degree virtual tour. 

Watts Studio at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, Surrey

wattsgallery.org.uk

Beatrix Potter at Hill Top

Discover a literary time capsule

The National Trust’s Hill Top is the former home of author Beatrix Potter, with every room filled with her creative thinking. The farmhouse appears very much as she left it, complete with nods to some of her most famous characters, such as Peter Rabbit (the story of which resulted in funds to buy the property) and Jemima Puddleduck. The ‘haphazard’ garden, full of fruit, vegetables, herbs and wildflowers, also served as inspiration for many of her tales, proving that inspiration is rarely contained within four walls. 

Hill Top, Cumbria, reopens 12 February

nationaltrust.org.uk

Embrace sculpture outside and in 

Tucked away on a modest street in St Ives you will find Barbara Hepworth’s studio, where her exquisite sculptures populate both her former workspaces and the beautifully lush garden. As much a museum as a moment stuck in time, this space offers the chance to learn more about her practice, see tools, paint and personal items preserved in stone-carving and plaster studios, and encounter her works among the sea air.

Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Cornwall

tate.org.uk